1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a refrigeration system and more particularly to an apparatus and method for detecting a low refrigerant condition in a closed loop refrigeration system.
2. Description of Prior Art
Commonly used refrigeration systems use freon as a refrigerant, which usually leaks from the refrigeration system several times during its operating life. The refrigerant leakage in such systems typically has been detected when the refrigeration system stops refrigerating due to the loss of a critical mass of the refrigerant, which is generally too late and often results in costly repairs.
Some systems utilize liquid level detectors to determine the refrigerant level in the receiver or the reservoir which holds the refrigerant of the system. Liquid level detectors are often not very reliable. There exists a need in the art of refrigeration systems to have apparatus and method for accurately and inexpensively determining when the refrigerant in the system is too low for it to efficiently operate.
The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for relatively accurately determining the low refrigerant level condition in a closed loop refrigeration system.